The New Mac Pro as it is

macrumors 68030

With all the back and forth about how this design is literally perfect vs people really annoyed about the lack of upgrade/BTO options, I'm surprised nobody's done this poll.

edit: To be clear, the new Mac Pro will undoubtably have *some* BTO options, it will clearly not have an optical drive, any platter drives, and will likely only have 1 or 2 SSDs which will be proprietary PCIe "cards". Also, the available options for video will be extremely limited as well compared to current models, likely each model will have a dual firePro cards, ranging from the low-end to w9000.

Edit2: Many say Apple could not have had TB and PCIe. That's incorrect. There are plenty of inexpensive PC motherboards that allow you to use any off the shelf GPU and run it through thunderbolt. Also, assume I meant PCI 3.0 and TB 1 and 2, as there str no limitations with that either .

If you've found some information that suggests it'll be dual processor, have something other than dual firepro, have an optical drive, and allow for more than just 1 (or 2?) ssd drives then I'll correct myself

This isn't FUD; there simply can't be as many BTO options as before based on what they've already told us.

macrumors 601

If you've found some information that suggests it'll be dual processor, have something other than firepro, have an optical drive, and allow for more than just 1 (or 2?) ssd drives then I'll correct myself

This isn't FUD; there simply can't be as many BTO options as before based on what they've already told us.

Click to expand...

Until the new Mac Pro is released and we know the actual specs and BTO options you are just guessing. Apple never said that there would not be a Nvidia BTO option. All Apple did was show a single prerelease model and you are assuming that it will be the exact thing they release with no BTO options.

Additionally you can BTO a Retina MBP with an Apple Super Drive. Might not be internal but it is still BTO.

macrumors 6502a

Keep the old Mac Pro around in an updated fashion for everyone who wants PCI-e slots and integration. Keep the new Mac Pro around for everyone else. I mean, seriously, given how efficient Apple's inventory system is (in which they basically carry no inventory at all), how hard could that be?

PS: You can't have the Mac Pro and Thunderbolt without doing exactly what they've done. I called that one months and months ago. It is impossible to run Thunderbolt on a Mac Pro without proprietary video cards. So really, your only choice boils down to an updated Mac Pro in the existing form factor OR the new Mac Pro with Thunderbolt (any version). You can't have both.

macrumors 603

Keep the old Mac Pro around in an updated fashion for everyone who wants PCI-e slots and integration. Keep the new Mac Pro around for everyone else. I mean, seriously, given how efficient Apple's inventory system is (in which they basically carry no inventory at all), how hard could that be?

-SC

Click to expand...

I think it's too early to assume the Mac Pro form factor we have today is dead. It's a safe assumption, but not a sure bet. It's certainly possible to iterate it to support the latest CPUs. But even if they offered this, I'd still choose the new solution for the PCIe SSD, compact chassis, and TB2.

macrumors 603

If you've found some information that suggests it'll be dual processor, have something other than dual firepro, have an optical drive, and allow for more than just 1 (or 2?) ssd drives then I'll correct myself

Click to expand...

How about Apple's web pages that say "up to 12 cores" ( so variability on CPU packages) and "up to 7 TFLOPs " on GPU performance ( so variablity on GPU packages )?

Quote

This isn't FUD; there simply can't be as many BTO options as before based on what they've already told us.

Click to expand...

Yes is it pure FUD. There isn't a Mac sold that doesn't have BTO options. None. Zip. Nada. One ( or three if "good" "better" "best" ) configuration and no options... Good grief even the Macbook toward the end wasn't that restricted.

There is no way Apple is going to hit reasonable entry price points with W9000 equivalent FirePros fixed in stone in configuration. Pure smoke. Lack of Nvidia options is also completely not indicative of absence of BTO. The Mac Pro has shipped before without BTO options for Nvidia.

Intel's 12 core E5 v2 is going to be priced in the $1770+ range. Again no way going to hit entry level prices with that either. Frankly so high probably won't be in any of standard configs. ( As Apple typically tops out at around $1400-1500 ).

thread startermacrumors 68030

Yes is it pure FUD. There isn't a Mac sold that doesn't have BTO options. None. Zip. Nada. One ( or three if "good" "better" "best" ) configuration and no options... Good grief even the Macbook toward the end wasn't that restricted.

Click to expand...

Wait hold on, you took my statement to an extreme I never said (on purpose? who knows). I said there was a lack of BTO options, not that I didn't think there would be any.

My opinion is that they'll have dual firepros in every one, but it'll be different modes, likely ranging from w6000 (iirc, that's the $330 one) to the w9000. Also, I think there will be different processors available with different cores and clock speeds. I think we've established, however, that it'll be single processor (which means ivy bridge will be offering a 12 core or 6 core + 6 virtual core).

My gripe is with the lack of other video card options that having 1 or 2 pcie slots gives you (the whole "you can have any card you want, as long as it's dual firepro" is not okay with me), plus the lack of room for HDs and optical. Others would be upset at the lack of a second processor. You can see the results of the poll, everybody has their peeve with the limitations of the new model.

macrumors 603

Keep the old Mac Pro around in an updated fashion for everyone who wants PCI-e slots and integration.

Click to expand...

Because the current Mac Pro units sales were already not very viable. Making them smaller isn't going to improve the viability. A substantial number of folks will buy the new Mac Pro. Whether that is enough for it to survive on its own is an open question.

However, it is relatively clear that as it was targeted before there was not sustainable growth to support the machine. If there was high growth in the Mac Pro unit sales the product would not have gone dark for as long as it did.

Shipping it "as is" with some speed bumps isn't viable because frankly is going to pull the Xeon tech the current one relies on from the retail market. 3500/3600 and 5500/5600 disappearing.

A wholesale board change to E5's ? If there were "extra, with nothing to do" R&D resources lying around Apple available for that they could have done that last year. They didn't so it is extremely likely there isn't an "extra" team available.

Quote

I mean, seriously, given how efficient Apple's inventory system is (in which they basically carry no inventory at all), how hard could that be?

Click to expand...

Apple's inventory system is efficient in part because they get rid of stuff over time. They also tend to move to common components. Like buying TB controllers. Current Mac Pro doesn't have one or almost any other part that any other current or upcoming 2013 Mac has.

Quote

PS: You can't have the Mac Pro and Thunderbolt without doing exactly what they've done. I called that one months and months ago. It is impossible to run Thunderbolt on a Mac Pro without proprietary video cards.

Click to expand...

No. Perhaps with 3 TB controllers that is true. But with just one it would work. There are over a dozen mainstream WinPC mainboards (including a few that Intel sales) that clearly demonstation you can have standard PCI-e graphics cards and TB in the same system. The discrete card can pump video out through TB, but that is not necessary. That might be an Apple design constraint they impose on themselves but it is not necessary and therefore possible.

The combination of selling more TB displays and normalizing "MacBookPro and Mac Pro" on standard configuration dual GPUs I think is too much for Apple to pass up. The first is just plain tail-wagging-the-dog to juice more money. The second actually makes long term sense if want to spur software development to push in that direction (more GPGPU leverage).

thread startermacrumors 68030

Here lack means zero (not any). It is exactly this implicit connotation that fuels the FUD aspect in the first statement in post #1 here.

Click to expand...

Okay sir, do you really think I said that this new computer contained no internal hard drive. Really? Do you really think that? Seriously?

I said it had a "lack" of drives, as in I wish that it had more. I don't think anyone would take it to mean that it had no hard drives. We know it has at lease 1 hard drive, they showed it in the picture, I'll still say it has a "lack" of hard drives as it has deficiency in the hard drive count that I want.

I just looked it up, "Lack" Means deficiency OR absence. How about giving me the benefit of the doubt.

macrumors 603

Correct me if I'm wrong, but TB is not possible with off-the-shelf GPUs which means TB could not be offered with the current solution. So No... I don't think I could get all that in the old form-factor. At any rate, the current chassis already seems dated and clunky to me now. I can't wait to sell it and get the new one.

thread startermacrumors 68030

Correct me if I'm wrong, but TB is not possible with off-the-shelf GPUs which means TB could not be offered with the current solution. So No... I don't think I could get all that in the old form-factor. At any rate, the current chassis already seems dated and clunky to me now. I can't wait to sell it and get the new one.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.